Gas and dough

Workers help prepare Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza for its opening today on McDowell Lane in Peters Township.
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Rick Shrum/Observer-Reporter

Steel framing is going up and bricks are being set for the Market District Express project, which calls for a grocery store, gasoline pumps and a car wash at Washington Road and Circle Drive in Peters Township.
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Rick Shrum/Observer-Reporter
After a lengthy construction delay, the Market District Express store has been going up quickly at Washington Road and Circle Drive in Peters Township.

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The Market District Express/GetGo is a go in Peters Township.

After months of inactivity, workers are working and trucks are trucking again at the corner of Route 19 and Circle Drive. Suddenly, steel is up and buildings are taking shape on the site where South Hills Ford once operated.

Dick Roberts, spokesman for Giant Eagle, said design changes by the company halted the project, which calls for a smaller version of the company’s Market District store, 16 GetGo gasoline pumps and a car wash.

Commonly shopped grocery items, including produce and prepared foods, will be available in the 14,000-square- foot Express, which also will feature a pharmacy and a cafe at which beer will be served.

The complex will be 2 1/2 miles from a standard-sized Giant Eagle on McMurray Road in Peters.

Construction began last fall and accelerated quickly, with the site cleared, earth moved and graded, and metal framework for the pumps installed. Then it stopped, abruptly, this spring. Work resumed recently.

In an email Aug. 16, Roberts said there isn’t a target date for opening, but it should be this year. He also said the project will not affect a GetGo convenience store/gas station less than a half-mile to the south, on the opposite side of Washington Road.

The company said this will be its first Market District Express, a compact version of the Market District stores in Bethel Park and Robinson Township in Allegheny County.

Giant Eagle is hiring for the new Peters site. Go to Careers.MarketDistrict.com.

Pizza presence in Peters

Pizza with a distinctive Italian-Burgh flavor is coming to two sites in Peters Township.

Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza is opening today at 102 McDowell Lane, just off Washington Road, where Damon’s Grill once plied its trade. And Fiori’s Pizzaria plans an October debut on Route 19 (Washington Road), near Forest Lawn Gardens, in a building that formerly housed Parkvale Savings Bank and – before that – The Almanac.

Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino is an equity partner in Anthony’s, and a Pittsburgher with ultra-deep roots. He grew up in the city’s Oakland section, and starred at Central Catholic and the University of Pittsburgh before becoming an icon with the Miami Dolphins. Marino and founder/chief executive officer Anthony Bruno will be at the restaurant during parts of the afternoon and evening Thursday.

Anthony’s, a franchise company based in South Florida, uses coal-burning ovens. Pizza, wings, pork ribs and Eggplant Marino are among the offerings. Anthony’s has two other restaurants in Western Pennsylvania – Robinson Township and Monroeville, in Allegheny County – and plans to open another next year in Cranberry, Butler County.

Hours at the local Anthony’s will be 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For carryout, call 724-941-4900.

Fiori’s has been an appetizing slice of life in the Brookline section of Pittsburgh for three decades plus. But despite success, it didn’t expand its doughprint . . . until now. The owner, Fiori Moscatiello, has a large “Opening Soon” sign on the property. He was unavailable for comment.

The original shop is at 103 Capital Ave., a hand-tossed pie toss from Auto Row along Route 19 – known in that vicinity as West Liberty Avenue.

Fiori’s pizzas are popular among Brookline and Beechview residents, but calzones, pasta dishes, hoagies and salads are among other menu items.

Actually, according to urbanspoon.com, Fiori’s reputation goes beyond those rough-and-tumble city neighborhoods. That website allows bloggers, diners and others to review and comment on restaurants in cities worldwide, and on the Urbanspoon Pittsburgh link, a Peters resident writes:

“Used to live in Brookline and Dormont. Always went to Fiori’s. I’ve lived in McMurray for almost seven years and still drive up for a pie when I get time. . . . I’ve had pizza all over the country and have yet to find one that can hold a candle to Fiori’s. Bucket list best pizza.”

And speaking of pizza. . . DeFelice Brothers Pizza opened recently at 925 Jefferson Ave., Washington. This is DeFelice’s first store in Pennsylvania. The Ohio-based chain has nine other shops, five in West Virginia and four in Ohio.

Blue skies for crepes shop

Crepes fans, don’t be blue. LeBleu Crepes is open in downtown Washington.

The new crepes shop debuted Aug. 8 at 192 S. Main St., at the back end of the Vocelli Pizza building. It’s open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“We’re still working things out, but we’ve gotten positive feedback from customers,” said Seckin Ablak, owner of the new shop and Vocelli. This spring, he started renovating a part of the store that wasn’t being used.

WiFi is available inside, but seating there is limited to four stools. Other customers may stand and use the countertops. Ablak, however, said he will place two picnic benches – seating for about 10 – on a small patio he has formed to the right of the shop (looking from East Maiden Street).

“I want to make things more comfortable,” said Ablak, who also owns Vocelli shops in Canonsburg, Peters Township and Weirton, W.Va. “As time goes on, I’d like add something that is even more comfortable.”

You can bank on area students

Washington Financial recently reported that more than 300 local students participated in the bank’s sponsored financial literacy course at area high schools for the 2012-13 school year.

To help empower area teens and adults to make sound financial decisions, the bank offered its Money 101 course to local high schools and Community Action Southwest at no cost. The web-based program brings complex financial concepts to life for today’s digital generation by using the latest in new media technology.

Students at Avella Area, Fort Cherry, Peters Township and Trinity Area high schools participated.

Before taking the course, local students on average scored 62 percent on the financial literacy pre-test. Their scores jumped to 89 percent after successfully completing the course, which is 4 percent higher than the national average.

Award a positive signal

Signal Graphics in McMurray recently received a Century Club Award, placing it in an elite group of Signal Graphics franchises worldwide.

The Century Club sales achievement award recognizes 100 of the top franchises in the entire network for outstanding sales achievement in 2012.

The McMurray franchise is owned by Roy and Sandy Crumrine of East Washington, who received the award at the annual Signal Graphics International Convention in Indianapolis.